Quote:
Originally Posted by SeattleUte
You say "Islamic societies" and then guage their value by what they contribute materially. In that sense what does any religion contribute? Zilch, except for this. Islam like Christianity was an important conduit or transmitter of the West's intellectual traditions, emanating from Classical culture. It was this element of "Islamic culture" that caused its flowering from 750 to 1500, not Islam per se. But the same is true for Western nations now. Ultimately certain religious leaders come along and are hell bent on snuffing out the intellectual tradition. They succeed in doing so through theocracies. Islam and Christianity are the same in this respect. This is what has happened in the Middle East today just as it happened in large swaths of the Europe in the Middle Ages.
|
So you're suggesting that Islamic societies are contributing something valuable to the world other than the meager material things that I mentioned?
America makes huge contributions to human knowledge and progress. Members of moderately religious (non-fanatical) subcultures contribute to that progress.
I would agree with you if you refer to fanatically religious people.
Islamic societies do not make any significant contribution to humanity's knowledge base.